Some Nifty Storage bag for water and sewer hoses…

Just so you know these bags were sent to me as a promotion with the request that I review them. I have been offered a lot of RV related “stuff” over the years and have turned down most of the items offered. However, these bags intrigued me as I saw a need for them in our everyday life and willingly accepted their generous offer of trying out their bags.

Like us, one thing which befuddles many an RV’er is how to organize items. One place I never spent much time organizing was our wet bay. I did, however, think it would be nice to have some type of bag, box or other device to use in order to better organize and store the items in our wet bay.

Well, to our rescue were these premium RV hose bags made by Humanfriendly. The bags are made using a polyurethane material and can be secured using a drawstring. They also have convenient grab handle making things easier to move about.

What makes these bags stand out is that they are waterproof! This means when we are storing our hose and if we still have some water in it then the water will remain in the bag and not in our wet bay floor. Being waterproof is nice but the bags are also vented since the top half of the bag is made from a breathable mesh.

The bags sizes are nice in that we a can fully store our hoses up to 100 feet in length in the bags labeled hoses. We can store our Slinkys in the another bag. Each bag is labeled with unique rubber tag making it easy to find the bag we are looking for. No longer will our hoses and extra slinkly be in an unsightly mess in one of the bins.

Also these bags carry a one year warranty so if a bag doesn’t hold up they will replace it free of charge! We found them to be well made, the right size to hold 50’ zero gravity hoses, cords and more. They also help keep the back clean from sand and dirt. I’m glad to have them. Plus I love the clever tags.

Now, when leaving a site I have a handy way to store all our wet bay items in these nifty little bags making our break down days a bit easier and neater. While the company didn’t send me a link for for their product I was able to find them on Amazon so if interested, check out their bags here.

NOTE:  We are currently in Mesa, Arizona until November 1st…

Great Gift Ideas for your favorite RV’er!

Here are some great gadgets or gift ideas that we love or have found useful. I have listed them in order of cost so get shopping for your favorite RV’er :

Under $10

Water Bandit – This is a must have for RV’ers who like to use National Parks, State Parks and US Forest Service campgrounds. This little non-threaded blue wonder will attach to any water source!

Camco Fridge Brace - 2 pack  This nifty little item attaches to the wire shelves in the refrigerator  and keeps food from sliding around.

Quick Hose Disconnect – Make life easy with these quick connect/disconnects and make hooking up your water hoses quick and easy!

.

Command Hooks – These adhesive hooks are great for hanging items in the RV as they are easy to install and come off easy without leaving a trace.

Microfiber Dish Drying Mat – Every RV kitchen needs one of these small but efficient matts for drying dishes on.

Quakehold Museum Putty – Want your pictures to stay up and not fall down? Don’t want to make holes in the walls. Here you go… museum putty works on any surface.

RV Slideout Corner Guards – Tired up hitting your head on the corner of your slide-out? Get rid of the those swimmers noodles and use these.

Vanicream Lip Protectant/Sunscreen Tube, SPF 30 – Sharon had to go through a painful process when she found out she had pre-cancerous spots on her lips. The Mayo dermatologists told us to use this lip cream for the best protection of our lips from harmful sun damaging rays.

Camco RV Gutter Spouts – If your RV doesn’t have these or the ones you have are missing you need these. They directs rainwater away from the sides of your RV thus reducing dirt and black streaks and installs in just minutes.

Under $30

Rand McNally 2017 Large Scale Road Atlas – It is always nice to have a good map to go along with your GPS. Also great for boondocking since it uses no power and it also includes information on bridge heights and highway exits. 

Selfie Stick With a Shutter Button – Everybody who takes pictures needs one of these to get a new perspective on their photos

Flexible Mini Tripod – Want to take a group shot or a time lapse photo of something and need a tripod? Here is a solution for your digital camera, smart phone or mini-cam.

Heavy Duty RV Tire Gauge –We all know that checking our tire pressure on our RV is extremely important. So pick up one of these heavy duty tire gauges.

Exercise Resistance Bands – Are you into fitness and staying in  shape then these portable exercise bands are the perfect gift. If you have a small set of weights then a set of these will make your outdoor gym complete.

Digital Wireless Indoor/Outdoor Thermometer – Need to know how chilly it is outside? Then this device that displays indoor and outdoor temperatures is just what you need.

Kill-A-Watt Meter - This cool gadget will monitor the electrical load of any plugged-in device. Why do this? Well it helps when you are boondocking by knowing how much power each of your plugged-in devices consume.

RV Visited States Stickers – Mark where you have been and where you haven’t been. This is a great ice breaker at RV parks as people will simple stop and ask about some of the states you have been to.

Camping Signs – Many RV’ers like to add a little touch of home to their camp site. Check out this camping signs for one that fits your style.many under $25 but others are higher.

Under $50

Oxygenics Shower Head – Want better water pressure especially when boondocking. Then you will want to replace tour current shower head with this one.

Zero-G Freshwater Hose - While we don’t have one of these hoses yet you are looking at our next hose that we will purchase. I love the Teknor Apex’s lighter weight and that it is kink-free. This is one great  heavy-duty RV hose.

Camco Heavy Duty Leveling Blocks – These are perfect for leveling single and dual Wheels on Class A RV’s. They are also great for Class B’'’s and C’s as they work well under hydraulic jacks and tongue jacks.

Under $100

Portable RV Jump Pack: -  One thing that has saved our bacon more than once is one of these. When you have a dead battery and don’t have jumper cables this device will jump start your car or RV without anyone else's assistance. I will say just don’t buy the Whistler brand as we have been going around and around with their company to replace our unit after it quit working after only two uses.

Drone Quadcopter with Camera – I don’t own this item but love watching them and seeing the photography they take form above. A perfect entry-level drone with easy controllability and the Amazon number one best seller.

Good Sam Roadside Assistance - Now only $79.95! - Every RV’er needs a reliable 24/7 Roadside Assistance policy. This policy has unlimited towing, lockout services, fluid delivery and more at just $79.95 per year! We have had this service for the last six years and had to use it twice. Once for a roadside flat repair and once for a tow 60 miles away to a service center. We love our Good Sam’s Roadside Assistance policy so much we extended it three years on our last renewal. Use this link and get 3 extra months free!!!!

Gift Cards - Can be any denomination

Not sure what to get your favorite RV’er then one of the best stocking stuffers you could get them would be an Amazon Gift Card!  Or you could pick a site specific gift card to one of their favorite restaurants by searching this link for gift cards Who wouldn’t want a gift card in their stockings!

Gift a RV Membership

Lastly get a gift that will save your favorite RV’er a bunch of cash when they go camping. Get them a one year Membership to Passport America. For only $44.00 your favorite RV’er will save 50% off at nearly 1900 campgrounds.

We have been members for nearly seven years and we have stayed at many of these campgrounds. While they may not be all glamorous resorts many of them are among some of our favorite places to stop…. and we get them all for 50% off! What a deal!!!!

Amazon Prime Membership – Need somethng delivered fast? Then you need this. Also gives access to free streaming of thousands of books and movies as well as millions of songs and many other perks!

The Good Sam Club:  For $25 per year the Good Sam Club membership will save some money. It provides up to a 30 percent discount at Camping World, saves 10 percent at 2,100+ Good Sam parks and campgrounds across North America, saves five cents off gas and eight cents off diesel at Pilot or Flying J Travel Centers,saves 25 percent off LP gas on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at Camping World and many other perks!

Harvest Hosts: While we aren’t currently members now we always sign up when we get near areas that are rich in camping opportunities using this membership. It allows members to stay FREE overnight at vineyards, farms and other unique spots. At $44 per year it will pay for itself fast. We found it best for smaller rigs but those of us with larger rigs can stay at a lot of real neat spots as well.

Boondockers Welcome - Another group that offers up a large database of free campsites across the USA. This site however, is not for those of us with large RV’s and is better suited to smaller RV’s as many of its sites will be in someone’s driveway. Great for city camping

Xscapers or Escapees: The Xscapers is a community of working-age RVers that holds regular convergences & meetups while the Escapees tend to be non-working retirees. Not only do you get great discounts on many parks you will meet a lot of new friends through these communityies.

OVER $100

WeBoost Drive Sleek Cell Phone Booster - Now although we don’t use this device it is the most recommended for those who wants or wished they had better cell reception on the road. Better yet this booster is an affordable option that requires no permanent installation!

Portable Grill - Not every campground has access to a grill and if they do they are usually pretty nasty. If you boondock (camp for free on public lands) you really need a grill. I currently use the Coleman Road Trip Portable Grill and have so for nearly 7 years. I find it to be an excellent grill for most of our needs. The only other one I would personally recommend is the Weber Q Portable Grills. We know many RV’ers who swear by this grill as well.

Instant Pot 7 in 1 Cooker – Another device we don’t currently own but when one of our major appliances dies we will most likely be owning one of these. Everyone who has ne raves about the various ways this one pot cooker can be used. Wow  - Just Looked and this is a Cyber Monday Special.

Garmin RV 760LMT Portable GPS Navigator – The ultimate RV GPS! This baby has a large 7" high-resolution touchscreen displays It has cautions and advisories (i.e. risk of grounding, lateral wind, narrow road, sharp curve, steep hill and tree overhangs). You can even talk to it. as it has vo. ice-activated navigation. It includes specialized RV routing based on customizable restrictions such as height, weight, width and length. And it comes with free lifetime map and traffic updates

Fitbit Charge 2 Heart Rate + Fitness Wristband – Sharon loves, loves, loves her fitbit. Maximize your workouts, count your steps, track your heart rate, see phone calls, texts and calendar notifications on the OLED display, automatically track how long and how well you sleep and more… Did I mention Sharon loves her fitbit!!!

All-New Fire HD 10 Tablet with Alexa Hands-Free, 10.1" (32 or 64 GB) – We don’t own this device but it is certainly on my wish list. It has a large 10.1" 1080p Full HD display with up to a 1.8 GHZ quad-core processor and 2 GB RAM. And best of all it has up to 10 hours of battery life!!!

RV Awning Screen – We love our Awning Screen as it gives us a sense of privacy as well as much needed shade when facing west. While we may not use this all the time it is absolutely fantastic for any of our extended stays and is always the first thing out to be put up. Your price will depend on your size ordered and some are even under $100. Make sure to measure how long and how tall you want your screen to maximize your room inside it.

Soon we will be in Bonita Springs, Florida for our extended winter stay. The best thing we love about staying in a place for an extended period is that we have a mailing address. We will be buying lots of goodies we need and have them delivered to our winter home.

Sharon Blogs About Her New Handmade Miracle Cleaning Dishrag!!!

As John mentioned in previous blogs we have scrambled for things to do since the weather has not been conducive for many of our favorite outdoor activities. Because of this I decided to tackle a do-it-myself project. Many of my friends would cringe upon reading this as I am very challenged when attempting craft projects. Although I have plenty of enthusiasm I just never seem to be able to transfer vision into a viable reality. I do not enjoy knitting, sewing crocheting, quilting and as a result most of my attempts fall short so much so that John often does his own sewing lol.

Recently a dear friend on the road made and gifted me a kitchen scrub cloth. She claimed it never smelled bad (like sponges often do) nor does it fall apart quickly. She claimed it would clean any pan with ease. Her instruction was to leave a little dish soap on it in the sink and often one will never need to fill up a sink full of dishwater to wash dishes. I just couldn't wait to try it.

Omigosh... it lived up to all of her claims and more! It has become my favorite all time kitchen rag. It cleans pans and even the grill with ease. It has not worn out by any means but it has inspired me to want more of them to use in other cleaning such as the shower. I also wanted to give one to my daughter and daughter-in-law because they really are wonderful.

What a simple concept it is. One goes to a fabric store or Walmart as I did. Purchase 1 yard of coarse tulle material in any color. This 97 cent investment yielded 10 cleaning cloths. John helped me cut them (knowing how spatially challenged I am) and I had 20 squares. As instructed by my friend I was to place two of these cloths on top of each other, go around the edges twice with a sewing machine then zig-zag the middle in any pattern I wanted. I did what was easiest and fastest for me in the sewing room. I just followed the square pattern inward then did X's across the middle. I worked up a little stress sweat but got 'er done. I gave one to John for the grill, I have one in the sink (the original) and now one in the bathroom.

Really and truly you wouldn't believe how this simply made cloth has enhanced my life. Thanks Renee! I hope mine lasts half as long as my tried and true original!

NOTE: We are still at Mesa Regal RV Resort until the end of the month and yes the weather is still cold and wet mostly, very un-Arizona like. We head south to Ajo on Feb. 1st.

Restore Your Own Headlights–It Really Works!!!

Man this sure has been a cooler winter than we have experienced during our last stay in Arizona. We do occasionally have a nice day here and there but for the most part it has been chilly. I haven't had to wear blue jeans but dang I have been wearing a sweatshirt with my shorts way more than I would like to.

We have been continuing our workouts at the park’s fitness room, playing a lot of pickleball and of course attending the afternoon happy hours at the pool listening to the various bands (including some dancing for Sharon). We really haven’t been doing much of anything else except what I call winter chores.

One thing I did that wowed me was to order a SYLVANIA Headlight Restoration Kit for our Honda CRV. Our headlights had yellowed to the point that when we drove at night (not very often) I could tell that we weren’t getting much light from our headlights on the road. I realized I either had to replace the headlights, restore them or quit driving at night!

After researching the options it was obvious I wouldn’t quit driving at night even though we rarely do, Resolving this safety issue would be expensive if I were to purchase new headlight lenses so restoration seemed to be the best choice. However, almost everything I had heard was that restoration was at best only a temporary solution.

Yet the more I read I came to the conclusion that if done right restoration would last a long time before needing to be redone. Done right means sanding the headlight lens to get rid of the weathered (and yellowed) product but the downside being this sanding also sands away the protective UV layer which prevents further yellowing. We decided that this was not so much a downside since they were really horribly yellow!!!

After lots of research I came across the SYLVANIA Headlight Restoration Kit which won me over with all of its positive reviews and the fact that Sylvania offers a life-time warranty on the product (so we will certainly keep the receipt). Since it was under $20.00 I ordered the kit and as soon as I received it I got to work…

First there was a solution to apply to the lens that “melts away” much of the yellow outer UV protective covering. Then it required wet-sanding the lens starting with a 400 grit sandpaper and working up to a 2000 grit sandpaper. As directed I wiped the lens clean after each sanding until achieving a smooth, non-scratched lens. Next was application of the same cleaning solution I started with and then waiting for it to dry. The last step was applying the UV protective layer with an included microfiber cloth. Voila! Total time took about 1 hour for the whole process for both lenses.

The end result was stunning!!! They truly looked brand new and although for some reason I forgot to take a starting photo (the before picture is an older one) but I assure you mine were pretty bad. My guess is that they were so bad that only about 40% of my available light would actually reach the road!

I will also add that there is really enough to do two cars if you are frugal with the supplies. I highly recommend this product for anyone needing to restore headlights (and no, Sylvania did not give me the product to review). I bought it and was so impressed I decided to share my experience.

After a couple more weeks in Mesa, off we go. I sure hope we can find some warmer weather soon as I am about to run out of projects…